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When asked how he felt when he realised what had happened, he replied: “I can’t describe it.

“You just feel sick, you’re just in a daze for a couple of hours. The first thing you do is call the police, but then you’re just kind of lost. You try to carry on, you want to open for another day’s service but, yeah, I just felt incredibly emotional.

“So did the staff, you know, my wife and my brother – it’s just a horrible feeling. You can’t really describe the gut-wrenching feeling to be honest.”

Mr Mcguire, who lives in St Ives, was at the Shack all day on New Year's Eve until 9pm when he returned home to be with his wife and baby boy.

Stuart Mcguire says the Rum & Crab Shack team in St Ives are more determined than ever to continue doing what they love. (Image: Greg Martin)

Devon and Cornwall Police were contacted as soon as the discovery was made and are due to launch a witness appeal. But for the family behind what has become one of Cornwall’s top foodie destinations there’s a “big worry”.

“For a small independent business like ourselves it can have huge ramifications”, added Mr Mcguire.

“I don’t anticipate, I mean God I hope we get the safe and the money back, but I don’t anticipate that we’re going to. Now it’s a case where we need clarity so we can all move forward.

“But where do we go forward, I don’t know to be honest. For a small independent like ourselves that large amount of money is huge and we’re now going into another really quiet period before Easter and stuff so it’s a case of just trying our best to get through that.”

She said: “A safe was reported as being taken from a premises in St Ives and to have contained the takings from the weekend.

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“The safe is described as being roughly 2x2ft and black. Investigations are ongoing and officers are making enquiries.”

An official witness appeal is due to be launched, it is understood. The Rum & Crab Shack owners expected to meet officers later in the afternoon on Thursday, January 4, to discuss the investigation further.

Mr Mcguire and his family, who originally hail from Liverpool, say the burglary is “something you might expect in a big city maybe, but not somewhere like St Ives".